1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image processing method, an image processing apparatus, and a printer, and more particularly to a technique for enhancing the glossiness of human head hair.
2. Description of the Related Art
To date, photo print apparatus has been proposed in which a high-quality photo can be created in a manner such that a light ring like an angel halo is rendered above human head hair (Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2004-109642).
A system disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2004-109642 is designed in such a way that a ceiling strobe is arranged in the vicinity of a human head and the utilized strobe can irradiate a light beam focusing on a region that is smaller than the head, whereby the picture quality of the human head hair can be enhanced.
Additionally, a method has been proposed in which the extent of color conversion can be changed depending on the size of a color area, and, in particular, without changing the color of pupils whose areas are small, only the color of human head hair whose area is large can be changed into brown (Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2005-267410).
An illumination light beams from a light source are reflected on the top of a human head, thereby enabling the glossiness of head hair to be enhanced, whereby a preferable photo print may be created. In particular, in a photo print creation system installed in a video arcade or the like, by, for example, contriving a strobe system (mounting a strobe on the ceiling), thereby making strobe light beams to be reflected on the top of a human head (including the creation of a light ring like an angel halo), a preferable photo print is created.
However, due to insufficient illumination, adequate reflection may not be obtained when a picture is taken; additionally, the installation of an extra (expensive) strobe system as disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2004-109642 may be difficult from the view point of cost or due to no availability for an installation place.
In contrast, according to the invention disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2005-267410, the extent of color conversion can be changed depending on the size of a color area; however, the glossiness of human head hair is not enhanced.